The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Reps

  • Reps team to meet South African parliament on xenophobia attacks

    The House of Representatives on Tuesday constituted a six-member team to visit South Africa and interface with its parliament over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

    The assignment, according to the members, is a fact-finding mission to know the actual cause of the attacks.

    Briefing journalists in Abuja at the end of plenary, the leader of the delegation, Femi Gbajabiamila, assured that the visit would provide lasting solutions to the recurring attacks.

    “The visit will also provide opportunities to meet Nigerians in South Africa and assure them of government’s commitment in safeguarding their lives and property, among others,” he said.

    Also speaking, the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje, said the committee had engaged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which also condemned the attacks.

    Elendu-Ukeje, who is also a member of the delegation, said it was constitutional to engage the South African parliament on the matter.

    “We will be looking at pieces of legislation that say to them that they must resist structural racism, Xenophobia,” she said.

    “We will be reminding them that they are signatories to the United Nations treaties against Xenophobia and racism.

    “If the mission fails, we will remind them of their companies in Nigeria.”

    NAN

  • Reps urge FG to address kerosene scarcity

    The House of Representatives has expressed concerns over the difficulties Nigerians are facing over scarcity of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK).

    The lawmakers said the product is not only unavailable but also unaffordable due to absence of clear cut policy on its deregulation.

    The House urged the Federal Government to come up with a policy framework on the deregulation of kerosene as applied to diesel and Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to address the scarcity of the product.

    The House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Down Stream) was also mandated to liaise with the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure that mechanism is put in place to make the product affordable.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Segun Adekola (PDP, Ekiti), who noted that the masses that depend on the product are the worst hit by kerosene scarcity.

    He said: “The stark reality is that the effect of the rising price of kerosene is being felt by the average Nigerian who has to resort to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for their cooking purposes, with retail prices of gas rising from N2,500 for 12.5kg to over N5,500.00.

    “We observed that kerosene, which is the only crude oil product accessible to poor Nigerians in the rural areas has become so expensive that a litre is now sold for between N400.00 – N450.00; thus forcing many households to resort to using charcoal, sand dust and wood for cooking with their attendant consequences.”

     

     

  • Reps seek appropriate pricing for petrol

    MEMBERS of the House of Representatives are looking at the pricing of petrol to ensure that marketers get real value for their investment.

    The Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee on the Review of Pump Price of Petrol, House of Representatives, Hon. Raphael Igbokwe, made this known during their tour of facilities of NIPCO Plc in Apapa, Lagos.

    The lawmakers praised NIPCO for making the product available at regulated prices across the country.

    Igbokwe said users of the product  should get good value for their money.

    In a statement by NIPCO’s spokesman, Mr. Taofeek Lawal, Igbokwe said NIPCO was a case study of an indigenous firm in the hydrocarbon industry that started from a humble beginning to become a major player.

    He said: “We have come to see the magic wand that has made you to have this splendid leap in few years of your operations.

    “Yours is an excellent show case of good partnership of indigenous petroleum marketers and a core investor that is fast changing the face of hydrocarbon products storage and marketing in the country.”

    According to Igbokwe, stakeholders support for organisations, such as NIPCO is a veritable way of attracting more Foreign Direct investment (FDI) into the industry, adding that with the rising profile of the company, there is hope for more FDI inflow into the economy.

    Commending the acquisition of majority shares in Mobil Oil Nigeria (MON), Igbokwe said it was good for an indigenous firm to acquire controlling equity in downstream section of an international oil company (IOC).

    He noted with satisfaction the state-of-the-art facilities in the terminal and the services being rendered in the storage and loading of petroleum products, adding that also worthy of mention is the seamless inflow and outflow of trucks at the depot.

    The firm’s Group Managing Director, Mr. Venkataraman Venkatapathy said the visit of the lawmakers would afford them the opportunity to see the firm’s facilities and do an on-the-spot assessment of their efforts in the industry.

    He told the lawmakers that NIPCO had been in the forefront of harnessing the great potential of the nation, especially in natural gas aside from storage and distribution of white products.

    According to him, operations at the terminal are highly automated with little human intervention to guarantee high level of efficiency and accuracy in the storage and dispense of products.

    Its Group Executive Director  Corporate Services, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir, said if given the required support to access product, Nigerians would get good value for their money.

    He noted that the company hardly does 30 per cent of its installed capacity, adding that with an improved product access, NIPCO could change fuel supply equation across the country.

    Aminu said NIPCO employed Nigerians as part of growing the local content as enshrined in the Nigerian Content Act.

     

  • Reps issue deadline for Eurobond, Committee reports

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara yesterday issued an ultimatum for the submission of reports on the request of the Federal Government for a resolution of the National Assembly for the issuance of $500 million Eurobond in the International Capital Market (ICM) for the funding of the 2016 budget deficit.

    Speaking yesterday at plenary, Dogara  said the House Committee on Aids, Loans & Debt Management should submit the report on the  $500 million Eurobond request by  March 7 to enable members debate and if necessary adopt its recommendations.

    The committee is headed by Olayinka Ajayi (APC Osun).

    The Federal Government had requested for a resolution of the National Assembly for the issuance of $500 million Eurobond in the ICM for the funding of the 2016 budget deficit.

    The request was contained in a letter signed by the Acting President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

    According to the government’s letter, in line with the requirement of securities issuances in the ICM, a specific resolution of the National Assembly is required as a firm confirmation of the approval of the Legislature for the Federal Government of Nigeria to borrow the $500 million through the issuance of a Eurobond Debt Instrument in the ICM.

    Also, the Speaker at plenary yesterday announced tomorrow as deadline for the reports from standing committees of the House on the 2017 budget Defence sessions held with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)

    The Green Chamber had earlier announced February 24 deadline for the submission of the reports on budgets from the various standing committees. However, many of the committees could not meet the deadline.

    The House had twice suspended plenary to allow committees have robust budget defence sessions with the MDAs under their supervision, with the hope that they would also have adequate time to prepare and submit their reports.

    The budget session reports which were meant to be submitted to the House Committee on Appropriations, According to the Speaker, Is holding up further deliberations and forward movement in the consideration of the 2017 budget.

  • Reps to probe dumping of toxic waste in Delta

    The House of Representatives, yesterday in Abuja, passed a resolution to investigate the dumping of toxic waste in Koko community in Delta State.

    The House mandated its committees on Environment and Habitat, Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Gas Resources to investigate the extent of the environmental impact of the toxic waste on the community.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion, titled: “Need to Investigate the Dumping of Toxic Waste in Koko Community of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State,’’ sponsored by Rep. Daniel Reyenieju (PDP-Delta).

    Moving the motion, Reyenieju recalled that in June 1988, toxic waste was dumped in Koko, which resulted in illnesses and environmental damage to the aquatic life of the people.

    He expressed concern that apart from the incidence that happened in 1988, there was a recurrence in 2017 which violates the environmental guideline and standard for the petroleum industry in Nigeria.

    The lawmaker said was 80 per cent of oily sludge was  hazardous because of the presence of toxic organics, such as aromatics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and complex compounds with very high molecular weights.

    “The consumption or absorption of toxic and carcinogenic contaminants by plants and lower animals will ultimately lead to bioaccumulation in humans from food chain in nature which will result in failure of organs and ultimately death.

    “During the rainy season, surface and underground water which is the source of drinking water for the people is gravely contaminated through seepage of toxic and carcinogenic substances into aquifer.

    “The area around the dump site is residential and a primary school, with its numerous pupils and teachers, also share a common perimeter fence with the dump site facility,’’ Reyenieju said.

    The House mandated the relevant committees to report back their findings within four weeks for further legislative action

  • Reps to probe dumping of toxic waste in Delta

    The House of Representatives, yesterday in Abuja, passed a resolution to investigate the dumping of toxic waste in Koko community in Delta State.

    The House mandated its committees on Environment and Habitat, Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and Gas Resources to investigate the extent of the environmental impact of the toxic waste on the community.

    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion, titled: “Need to Investigate the Dumping of Toxic Waste in Koko Community of Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State,’’ sponsored by Rep. Daniel Reyenieju (PDP-Delta).

    Moving the motion, Reyenieju recalled that in June 1988, toxic waste was dumped in Koko, which resulted in illnesses and environmental damage to the aquatic life of the people.

    He expressed concern that apart from the incidence that happened in 1988, there was a recurrence in 2017 which violates the environmental guideline and standard for the petroleum industry in Nigeria.

    The lawmaker said was 80 per cent of oily sludge was  hazardous because of the presence of toxic organics, such as aromatics, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and complex compounds with very high molecular weights.

    “The consumption or absorption of toxic and carcinogenic contaminants by plants and lower animals will ultimately lead to bioaccumulation in humans from food chain in nature which will result in failure of organs and ultimately death.

    “During the rainy season, surface and underground water which is the source of drinking water for the people is gravely contaminated through seepage of toxic and carcinogenic substances into aquifer.

    “The area around the dump site is residential and a primary school, with its numerous pupils and teachers, also share a common perimeter fence with the dump site facility,’’ Reyenieju said.

    The House mandated the relevant committees to report back their findings within four weeks for further legislative action

  • PDP wins Assembly’s, Reps’ seats in Rivers

    PDP wins Assembly’s, Reps’ seats in Rivers

    •Returning Officer: Wike humiliated us
    •Governor: we resisted rigging

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates were yesterday declared winners of the legislative rerun elections in Etche, Rivers State.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the results.

    Figures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shows Chief Jerome Eke of the PDP scored 15, 221 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ogbonnaya Wuke of the APC, who scored 6, 220 votes.

    Anthony Ejiogu of the PDP scored 4, 162 votes to win the election. The APC candidate, Golden Chioma, had 1, 618 votes.

    The results were announced by Prof. Shola Omotola and Mr Olatubosun Odusanya. But the APC agents rejected the results citing alleged irregularities. About  15,131 votes were cancelled in six wards and 44 polling units.

    Omotola,  a professor of Political Science from the Federal  University Oye-Ekiti, accused Governor Nyesom Wike of humiliating returning officers. He said the governor was at INEC office at midnight to insist on declaration of results.

    He said: “I am not going to deny that the governor was here, (INEC office), last night. I’m not also going to deny the fact that I felt thoroughly humiliated, embarrassed, whatever way you want to describe it.

    “When we left the venue at Etche, we saw tension building. I called the National Commissioner, and appealed to her to inform the military personnel to provide escort for us to move out of that place.

    “To my surprise, we got here (INEC office), a few minutes to 12 midnight and we met the governor already inside here, INEC premises; how he got here I don’t know, but for the fact that we were thoroughly humiliated cannot be denied. It is important I clarify that.

    “It is however also important that I reassure you that yes, the governor used all tricks to force us to declare results. But, we stood our ground. We never declared any results yesterday. What we did when he insisted was on getting a copy of the results we have tallied.

    “He came together with PDP agent; but what I am trying to say is that on the basis of those threats, yield to his demands and again, it is also important that I reiterate the fact that the results that were so presented was as gotten from the LGA.”

    Wike’s media aide, Simeon Nwakaudu, in a statement yesterday, said: “As the two INEC  Returning Officers  for the Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, Prof   Shola Omotola and  Etche Constituency 2, Oluwatosin Odusonya were about to declare  the PDP  winner, military personnel  at the Collation Center  brought a phone to them, claiming that the  call was from the National Commissioner  of  INEC in charge of the election.

    “Upon receiving  the call, INEC Returning Officer  for Etche/ OmumaFederal Constituency, Prof Shola Omotola  stated that all collated results should be  moved to the Port Harcourt office of INEC.

    “Soldiers of the Nigerian Army who stopped the declaration at Okehi moved the collated results alongside party agents and political leaders to Port Harcourt.  They were joined by PDP leaders led by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and the APC Candidate for Etche/ Omuma Federal Constituency, Mr Ogbonna Nwuke.

    “At the headquarters, leaders of the two parties insisted that the two INEC Returning Officers  publicly announce collated results  to the media and party agents present.

    “After the announcement, the INEC Returning Officers handed the already  collated results  to party agents.

    “Party leaders  left INEC  by 3.30am on Sunday  morning, while agents  and security  agencies  were detailed to  stay with the INEC  Returning Officers  for the declaration of results  by 9am on Sunday, 26th February, 2017.

    “The Returning Officers claimed that they were directed by the National Commissioner not to declare PDP  winner  of the two elections.  They claimed that the National Commissioner said she must get clearance  from Abuja, before  any further step would be  taken.”

     

  • Senators, Reps raise alarm over 14.8m Boko Haram victims

    National Assembly members from Borno State yesterday raised the alarm over the fate of over 14.8 million people affected by the Boko Haram induced humanitarian crisis in the state.

     The lawmakers said that unless immediate steps were taken to address continuous poor budgetary provisions meant to ameliorate the mounting humanitarian crisis in the North East, disastrous consequences may not be averted.

     Former Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, who spoke on behalf of other National Assembly members from the state, said they resolved to ask the Federal Government to work in synergy in coordinating the humanitarian response action in the North East and other crisis affected areas in the country to ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability.

     Ndume said they resolved to appeal to the government to increase the allocation to the Presidential Committee for North East Initiative (PCNI) from N45 billion to at least N100 billion, while other state Governments, individuals, religious organizations, NGO should help the affected states.

     The media, he said, should also continue to galvanize support to the affected region.

     Ndume spoke on the theme, “Relief efforts in the North East especially Borno: The world is worried and doing something” at a press conference in Abuja.

     He said: “Norway, together with Nigeria, Germany and UNOCHA, hosted  an international donor conference in Oslo yesterday.

     “The Nigerian delegation includes the Governor of Borno State, Hon Kashim Shettima; the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of State for Budget and Planning who is also a member of the PCNI.”

     The Borno South Senator lamented that although the Federal Government is concerned about the worsening humanitarian situation in the region, it is not doing enough.

     On the budgetary provision, he said: “In the 2016 Appropriation Act, only N12 billion was allocated to PINE to address the humanitarian crisis in the North East out of which only 75% was released. This is less than 10% of the $449 contributed by international donor countries and agencies.

     “In the budget proposal under consideration by NASS, only N45 billion is allocated to PCNI. This is grossly inadequate to address the emergency humanitarian crisis we are faced with compared to the $1.0 billion which is equivalent to over N305 that the international donor countries and agencies are trying to raise.

     “PCNI; NEMA; BOSG SEMA; VSF; and Dangote Foundation are the visible government agencies on ground, but international NGOs are more visible and active.

     “Except a few individuals, particularly Gen T. Y. Danjuma and Aliko Dangote, some organizations and NGOs, Nigerians are just watching us going through this horrific experience in our life time.”

     Ndume said it is obvious that the state government is overwhelmed.

     He said: “With the meagre resources coming to the state, there is little the state government can do.

     “However, the state and local governments are using almost all they get to do the basics of feeding the IDPs, paying salaries and reconstructing, resettling and rehabilitating the recaptured and accessible areas.”

     On impact of the crisis he said: “The conflict between Boko Haram and military counter- operations in North East Nigeria resulted in widespread forced displacement, a major food and nutrition crisis, violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, severe protection concerns and a growing humanitarian crisis of global proportion. Now in its eighth year, insecurity continues and is adding to the long history of marginalization and chronic under-development as well as a higher rate of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment. Long-standing environmental degradation, closure of markets and disruption of regional trade also contribute to eroding livelihoods, while conflict has caused forced displacement and human suffering on a massive scale.”

  • Reps Committee lauds CBN’s support for education

    Reps Committee lauds CBN’s support for education

    The House of Representatives Committee on Banking and Currency members has praised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention projects in the educational sector.

    The committee members, who spoke at the end of oversight visit to CBN’s projects in Lagos State, said the projects being executed by the apex bank would add value to Nigeria’s economic development.

    The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Jones Onyereri, warned the contractors to stick to the specifications and timelines of the projects as contained in their contracts as the Committee would not accept any deviation from the contractual agreements nor agree to any variation to the contract sums.

    The oversight visit was in furtherance of the Committee’s constitutional responsibility and legislative mandate of supervising agencies of government under its purview.

    The intervention project sites visited by the Committee included the three blocks of two and three-storey hostel buildings and an adjourning 500-seater auditorium at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry and the multi-complex faculty hotel and auditorium facilities at the University of Lagos, Centre of Excellence.  The facilities are part of the CBN’s commitment to building capacity for the nation’s banking industry.

  • Reps reject N6b Communications ministry’s budget

    The House of Representatives Committee on Communications has rejected the N6.97billion  budget of  the Ministry of Communications for failing to provide satisfactory details of its 2016 budget spendings.

    For capital projects, the Ministry is proposing to spend N5.964billion, N742.880million  for personnel while N216, 880 million was proposed for overhead cost.

    For emphasis, the Saheed Fijabi-led Committee asked the Minister, Adebayo Shittu to provide a number of documents on projects, project locations, third party contracts, receipt vouchers for conferences,  trainings as well as nominal roll for the Ministry among others.

    The Committee said it will not consider the 2017 budget estimates of the Ministry until it embarked on an on-the-spot accessment of the projects contained in the 2016 budget document.

    The budget session began on a tense note when the Minister refused to explain the details of the budget saying the Permanent Secretary, Sunday Echono, who is the Accounting Officer of the Ministry was in the best position to respond to the specifics of the 2016 document.

    In his presentation, the Minister said contrary to what was on record, the Ministry actually received N3,095,437billion as against N4,912,735, 231billion that was recorded for it on Government Integrated Financial Management System (GIFMIS) platform for its 2016 capital expenditure.

    The breakdown showed that of the 48 new and one on-going projects, the Ministry recorded 100 per cent performance on capital budget release of N3,095,437billion that was fully accessed.

    For the year under review, N216, 791,496million was appropriated for overhead while N138,905,138million was released leaving a balance of N77.9million; N600,239,582million was also appropriated for personnel cost out of which N695, 877, 059 was released.

    Totally shocked about the finances of the Ministry, the lawmakers requested for explanations why money  released for personnel was greater than money appropriated.

    The Committee asked why N8million was spent on presentation at Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, while seeking  explanation on the procurement of computers for N12million.

    In addition, the Committee expreseed doubt over the  Ccapital expenditure item whereby N4. 9million was spent on  supervision of the an unspecified work.

    Construction of Information Communications Technology (ICT) centers in some parts of the country also came under scrutiny as the Ministry failed to execute any of the projects, claiming lack of funds.

    The Committee wondered why projects that benefit Nigerians directly were not prosecuted by the Ministry.

    Fijabi said: “With the document before us, there is a need for this Committee to oversight these projects because Nigerians have been  blaming the  legislature for not doing its job well.

    “Going forward, we have to look at the procurement process and on-the-spot accessment of these projects has become inevitanle.

    “In addition, the Ministry should furnish the Committee with its nominal roll, indicating old and new workers.

    “The provision of the details requested will determine how soon we will embark on the oversight visit and the consideration of the Ministry’s 2017 budget estimates.”